You Really Shouldn't
by CaptainSwanShipper
Summary: Emma sees Captain Hook flirting with Regina and feels the need to warn him off. But is there more to her revulsion than she's letting on? And can she tell him the REAL reason that it bothers her? Originally posted on my tumblr on May 29th, 2013.


_****__**You Really Shouldn't**_

Emma Swan glared as she watched Captain Hook say something flirtatious to Regina. The Queen, clearly not amused, delivered some sort of scathing put-down (one of her specialties) and twirling on her heels, determinedly walked away from him. The pirate watched her go with a raised eyebrow, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

It frustrated Emma to no end that Hook would even consider flirting with Regina. She knew he had a tendency to flirt with just about anything with an extra X chromosome (including her mother, which probably creeped her out more than it should have…), but she thought he had a little more sense than to do that with someone like the Evil Queen. Especially since said queen had basically left him to die. Of course, she knew he did it as a means of charming a woman to his side to get whatever it was he needed, but what could he possibly want from Regina now? She was already on his side, technically…for at least as long as it took to rescue Henry…so what could she have that the pirate would want? Emma could think of only one thing, and it made her feel almost nauseous…She swallowed hard, willing the feeling to go away. It wouldn't serve her any purpose and she couldn't afford to have her mother fussing over her because she thought she was seasick or something. Deciding it would probably be best to walk as far from Hook and his shenanigans as possible, Emma trudged below deck to try and figure out how they could find Henry. She'd found some maps on board which looked an awful lot like the globe that Mr. Gold had brought on board and she'd brought them to her cabin to try and figure out if they were in fact representations of Neverland. If they were, they may have proven helpful in finding her son…

Later that evening, Emma was studying the maps on a makeshift table she'd put together with some of the crates scattered around the deck of the ship. She'd gotten restless sitting in her cabin and decided that some fresh air might help her think better, so she'd gathered her materials and come up. When the sea breeze had flung her hair in her face, forcing her to spit hair out of her mouth and generally blocking her vision, she'd tied it back with a scrunchie she'd found in her coat pocket. Though her hair still blew around her head, at least it didn't end up in her face…often.

After a few hours of studying, she'd gotten a little better at understanding the maps, but there were some thing that just didn't match up. Frustrated, Emma plopped a shell she'd found in her cabin down on the papers to stop them from flying away and walked to the side of the ship. Looking out to sea and taking deep breaths, she tried to clear her head. Just as she was beginning to relax, she heard voices behind her. Recognizing them, she stiffened. Not again, she thought, closing her eyes and pressing her lips together in exasperation. If there were a wall nearby, she'd be tempted to smack her head against it. Or his. That would be cathartic…

She could barely make out the words that were being said, but she could tell he was at it again. Turning, she glared at the pair that were totally oblivious to her presence. Hood sidled into Regina's personal space with that calculated, seductive look on his face. The queen was clearly having none of it as he tilted his head and made a comment. Regina's response was to lean into his space dangerously and snap at him. Emma could practically feel the venom in the other woman's voice. As she walked away from him, the smug grin Hook employed when he thought he'd bested someone crept onto his face. Then, his eyes shifted in Emma's direction and he quirked an eyebrow, then headed for her. Wonderful. She debated whether she should turn back to the sea or keep facing him, but ultimately decided that she might as well face him. He'd find a way to talk to her either way…

"Well, Miss Swan, fancy running into you here," Hook said as he came up to her, that cocky grin still on his face.

"Save it," she snapped back at him.

"Ooo, aren't we feisty today?" he purred. Emma glared at him, then spun around and faced the sea. Well, her resolve had lasted, now hadn't it? Sometimes, though, even her resolve was no match for her irritation when it came to him. Speaking of irritation…

"You really shouldn't do that, you know," she growled. Maybe if she told him to ease up on it, he would?

"Why, lass? Jealous?" Hook asked, a knowing grin in place.

"No," she answered, avoiding his gaze.

"Is that so? Care to explain, then? I'm afraid I need some clarification."

Emma felt the nausea returning. Could she tell him? Glancing at him, she couldn't help but feel that, yes, it was necessary. If for no other reason than so he would know who he was dealing with…

She swallowed and fought back tears and the bile rising in her throat, making sure not to look at him as she told him what he needed to know…

"The last man who got…intimate…with the queen…he ended up dead. She killed him."

Hook was silent for so long, Emma wondered if he'd heard her. Bracing herself, she dared to look at him again. The pirate had an intent, serious expression. His blue eyes seemed even more intense than they normally were behind all that guyliner. In fact, he looked an awful lot like he had just before he'd asked her why she was really willing to help Regina…Oh no…He wouldn't…

"There's something else you aren't telling me, love," he murmured. His eyes narrowed slightly as he moved slightly closer to her. "What is it that you're holding back?"

He'd gone there. She was so shocked, her nausea had vanished. Damn the man for being so perceptive!

"What is it, Emma?" he asked quietly.

The tears returned and she had to blink furiously to stop them from falling. She turned away from him. She ___really_ didn't want to cry in front of this practical stranger…

"That man," she started hoarsely. She cleared her throat, "He…died…"

"And?" he urged her to continue. She hadn't planned on telling him more!

"I was there when it happened," she answered evasively. She was NOT going there…

Emma could ___feel_ Hook patiently studying her for several seconds as if expecting more. She wasn't going to tell him. No way—

"___He died in my arms_!" she blurted out, unable to stand his scrutiny. The tears began to fall as she remembered every excruciating second. Hook made no attempt to comfort her. Maybe he knew better. She'd clock him if he even tried since it was his fault she was crying in the first place.

"Happy now?" she demanded thickly.

The pirate was silent for several more seconds. Emma dared to glance at him again. He was still watching her. Then he spoke.

"It seems we have more in common than I initially believed," he murmured, suppressed pain resonating in his gaze. A pain she remembered seeing in the mirror after Graham had died, and still occasionally saw, though his was deeper, more intense.

Emma was surprised by the comment. More in common…? Then, she remembered.

"Milah," she breathed.

Hook nodded, then looked away from her briefly, seeming to focus on one part of the ship as if remembering something. When he turned back to her, his vision had cleared a bit of the pain she'd seen.

"We really do understand each other, don't we, Swan?" he said, a reluctant grin tugging at one corner of his mouth.


End file.
